We all know that money is made of paper but did you know that remnants from blue jeans are also part of the U.S. currency?

I watched a program on counterfeiting – which raised some questions – which, in turn, led me to do some additional research.

The bottom line is that there will always be counterfeiters. The Treasury Department is just trying to make it as hard as possible to commit these acts – or are they? In the original program I watched, and in doing some of my other research, evidence indicates they are not. The treasury officers say that changing the design of our money may give people the impression that it is not impervious to counterfeiting. Well, it’s not! Yet, many other countries are adopting new standards to combat technology that is ever changing.

One thing we are NOT doing is refusing to accept the old designs of money. We say we are trying to combat counterfeiters, but as far as I know, we are still accepting the old versions.

Maybe it is time for the Treasury to propose a radical new design that could incorporate security measures that have been in use by private industry, and recently, other governments.

Redesigning the money does little to offset counterfeiters, when the government still supports the old bills.

Myth busters found paper money to be one of the top five germ carriers, second only to the lowly kitchen sponge, and, what a revoltin’ development this is!

Jerry Riley comments for the News Bulletin. He is a retired telecommunications supervisor.              

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